Tail gate



May 1, 194:5.

, V. H. PALlsANo ETAL 2,374,697

TAIL GATE Filed March 11, 1944 .o si

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. h E. ne e u Ip' j ,"1 "A Il l iii le lo e I7 HI zO-n Till l" ,f1 zo 6| I e e L ||l I9 j immuun 19ml 14 22. z2 l's VINCENT H. PAUSANO AND SIGMUND HENTECY Patented May l, 1945 UNITED STATES PATEN T OFFICE TAIIZII GATE vincent H. pensano ana si ginund Menteck, Buffalo, N. Y., assignors to Charles JQPalisano, Victor J. ,Palisanm Joseph S. Palisano, Samuel J. Palisano, and Vincent H. Palisano, copartners doing business as Motor Service &.,Supply Co., New York,'N. Y.

' Application March A11, 1944, seriall No. 526,042y

4 Claims.

s inability to open them under certain circumstances, as when a loading dock or platform is higher than the oor of the vehicle body.

In spite of the generally recognized shortcomings of conventional tail gates the many alternatives concerned and suggested have not produced a satisfactory practical substitute. The tail gate of the present invention aiords means whereby an element or elements thereof may be selectively moved either upwardly in the plane of the vehicle opening or pivotally inwardly or outwardly, depending on various conditions, such as the height of the loading dock or platform, the disposition of goods just inside the vehicle opening, and the disposition of goods or other obstructions on the loading dock or platform adjacent the Vehicle.

Further the element or elements of the tail gate of the present invention may be given a compound movement of any desired pattern within the limits of the several pivotal connections provided for supporting the element or elements.

In the form illustrated here by way of examplev the tail gate has a pair of companion panels, one secured to each side of the rear opening of a commercial vehicle by a vertical hinge so that it may be moved pivotally inwardly or outwardly. Each panel is further provided with a pivotal support adjacent to its upper edge and also adjacent to the vertical hinge. Such second pivot has an axis extending longitudinally of the vehicle whereby each of the Ipair of tail gate panels may be swung upwardly and toward the side of the vehicle upon which it is supported. In this way the tail gate panels may be moved out of the way to permit unloading even though the loading dock or platform be somewhat higherY than the floor of the vehicle and, further, the tail gate may be moved upwardly out of the way prior to backing the vehicle up to a loading dock or platform without danger of damaging the tail gate during maneuvering of the vehicle.

While a single complete and specific embodiment of the present invention is shown in the drawing and described infdetail in the following specification by way of example, it is to be under.- stood that the principles of the invention are not limited in their application, otherwise thanas defined in the appended claims. Inthe drawing: I Figure l is a'rearelevational view of a truck, trailer, or other vehicle having a preferred form of the'tail gate of the present invention mounted thereon; v K I Figure 2 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1; and y Figure 3 is a fragmentary side elevational vie of the rear portion of the vehicle of Figure 1 with a tail gate panel thereof swung partially upwardly and outwardly.

Throughout the drawing like characters of reference denote like parts and the numeral I0 designates a vehicle body having a rear opening I I. A,'[n the illustrated instance the upper portion of the rear opening II is provided with a pair of conventional hinged doors' I2 and I3 but it is to be understood that the presence or absence of such doors is immaterial to the present invention.

The tail gate itself comprises a pair of panels I4 and I5. Each of the panels I4 and `I5 has pivotal connection as at I6 with a U-shaped, bracket Il, the bracket Il beingk in turn hingedL to the vehicle body I0, by hinge pins I8 and `hinge brackets I9.

Manipulating handles for the panels I4 and I5 are shown at 20 and when in the lowered full line position of Figure 1 the panels are held against inward or outward movement by pins 22 which may be carried directly by the panels and enter recesses formed in the vehicle bodyfloor or the rear bolster.

To permit free upward pivoting movement of the panels their adjacent'edges are downwardly tapered as shown in Figure 1 and to close the gap' so formed and also to further interlock the panels when they are in closed position, the panel I4 has a pair of inner and outer lplates 23 and 24, xed thereto inany desired manner, as by means of rivets, screws or otherwise. The platesv 23 and 24 project from the panel I4 in such manner asto embrace and receive the adjacent meeting edge of panel l5.

Obviously, where doors-like the doors I2 and I3r are employed it is possible to move the panels directly upward only by opening the doors. It is preferable to arrange the panels so that they may retain the upright dot and dash lineposi'- tion of Fig. 1 and this may be accomplished by merely arranging the pivot I6 with suicient in- 2 e herent :friction or by providing any other desiredl yieldable or positive detent means. What is claimed is: j

1. Vehicular construction comprising a body r having a rear opening, tail gate means for closing the lower part of said opening, said` means comprising a pair of closure elements, means supporting said elements for independent pivotal movement about vertical axes disposed adjacent opposite sides of said opening, and means independently pivoting each of said elements about axes extending longitudinally of the lbody and disposed adjacent the sides of, said opening, said comprising a pair of closure elements, means supporting said elements for independent pivotal movement about vertical axes disposed adjacent opposite sides of said opening, and means independently pivoting each of said elements about axes extending longitudinally of the body and likewise disposed adjacent the sides of' said opening, said second pivot axis being disposed adjacent the upper edges of said closure elements,` said closure elements having their central abutting portions formed to interfit when in closed position.

secondv pivot axis being disposed'adjacent the upper edges of said closure'elements.,l A

2.' Vehicular construction comprising 'a bodyl y having a substantially vertical Wall and an open-` ing therein, means for closing the lower part of said opening, said means comprising a closure element, means supporting said element for inde-- pendent pivotal movement about a vertical axis disposed adjacent one sidey of said opening,v and means independently pivoting said element about an axis' extendingv longitudinally of the body and disposed adjacent the.- rst pivotal supporting means, said second pivot axis :being disposed adjacent the upperzedge of said closure element. x3. Vehicular construction comprising` a. body havinga rear opening, tail gate means for closing the lower part of said opening, said means 4. VehicularI construction comprising Aa 'body .having a rear opening, tail gate means for closing the lower part of said opening, said means comprising a pair. of closure elements, means sup- 

